Royal Commission into trade union corruption begins

THEY will be the words every union in the country will be waiting to hear when Commissioner John Dyson Heydon AC QC and his assisting counsel will each make an opening statement at the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

At 10am tomorrow the Royal Commission will hold a preliminary hearing to deliver "the broad direction of the Commission".

No witnesses will be called on Wednesday.

In February, Prime Minister Tony Abbott named five unions to be included as part of the inquiry's terms of reference - the Australian Workers Union, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, Electrical Trades Union, Health Services Union and Transport Workers Union.

The Commission is to examine how the unions are run, how finances are handled and how well they represent their members.